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24.10.08

New Edition of Labour File

Labour Rights Deficits in Indian Service Sector

The service sector in India has been a major cause for the growth of the Indian economy in the past decade, making the country one among the top ten, fastest growing economies in the world. As per the Economic Survey, between 2002-03 and 2006-07, services contributed 68.6 per cent of the overall average growth in GDP, and in 2006-07 the service sector accounted for 51.1 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product.

Tired Souls, Sleepy Eyes, Aching Legs: All in a Day’s Work

She is scared to speak. The consequence, she fears, is a summary sack. She does not know if someone has ever been thrown out for venting a grievance to the media. She has agreed to being called Purnima in our story. Purnima's story gives us just a glimpse of the 'from-the-frying-pan-to-the-fire'-like vulnerabilities of a retail establishment worker.

Sectoral Changes and the Employment Scenario in the Indian Economy in the Time of Reforms

There is little doubt that the Indian economy has sustained a high rate of growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during the reform period. It is also quite clear that there has been some acceleration in this rate over time.

Gender Dimensions of Service Sector Employment

The importance of the service sector as an engine of growth has been one of the most highlighted aspect in all discussions on globalisation. The claim of gender neutrality associated with the benefits of the sector is central in debates on its prospects.

Social Exclusion in the Services Sector: A Study of SCs in Indian Banking

The services sector in India has developed considerably over the last few years. The sector has had an annual growth rate of about 28 per cent during the last five years. Its high growth and development has been globally recognised

The State of Labour

The past few years have been quite troubled for labour. The most striking feature is the shrinking of labour in the organised (formal) sector. The 2001 Census showed that the total labour force in the country was 402.51 million. Only 7 per cent of this was in the organised sector…………….

Downsizing and Outsourcing of Government

When presenting the budget for 2001-2002, the Finance Minister of the NDA government said, “All requirements of recruitment will be scrutinised to ensure that fresh recruitment is limited to 1 per cent of total civilian staff strength. As about 3 per cent of staff retire every year, this will reduce the manpower by 2 per cent per annum, achieving a reduction of 10 per cent in five years as announced by the Prime Minister.”

Privatising the Police

Globalisation-oriented privatisation was first introduced in all service sectors in the 1980s in India; it grew phenomenally after 1991 when India succumbed to the World Bank-IMF and WTO-led policies of restructuring and stabilisation. Road transportation, shipping, air transport, finance, insurance, health care, education, tourism, communication, education, power generation and distribution and many other sectors are heading for more and more privatisation.

StatisticsEmployment Statistics DisaggregatedCTUO Union Density for Service SectorPercentage of Total CTUO Membership who are Service Sector Workers for all CTUOs

Labour in Those YearsUnsung Episodes of 'Corporate Benevolence': Chronicling the TISCO Workers' Struggles in the 1920s

The track record of the Tatas in the field of worker welfare is widely acknowledged in the literature and the discussions on industrial harmony. There is a proliferation of prose that narrates the corporate benevolence of the Tata fraternity, which dates back to the pioneering labour welfare measures of Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO), now Tata Steel, set up in 1907 in a remote Bihar village Sakchi….

Part-Time, Regular Workers and Labour Laws

The concept of work is undergoing rapid change due to the integration of national economies. New forms of work are fast replacing the traditional concept of permanent, full-time work. As a result, work-related legal concepts such as who is a workman within the scope of technical definitions under various labour laws are also subject to transformation.

The Unorganised Sector Workers' Social Security Bill, 2007

(Report of the Standing Committee on Labour)

On 3 December 2007, the Standing Committee on Labour under the chairmanship of Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy submitted its 25th Report to Parliament. The Report includes a discussion of the background and provisions of the Bill, the reflections and recommendations of the Committee, including a review of the contributions of various stakeholders, and a proposed draft Bill to address the various concerns and shortcomings noted by the Committee.